Do You Have Questions About Your Personal Finances

Finances may be a fact of life, but they don't have to be a cause of stress. If you learn what to do to improve your finances, your financial management plans can become a source of joy and excitement. Read on to learn how to begin saving and improve your finances.



Triple check your credit card statements the moment you arrive home. Make sure to pay special attention in looking for duplicates of any charges, extra charges you don't recognize, or simple overcharges. If you spot any unusual charges, contact both your credit card company and the business that charged you immediately.

Have a plan for dealing with collection agencies and follow it. Do not engage in a war of words with a collection agent. Simply ask them to send you written information regarding your bill and you will research it and get back to them. Research the statue of limitations in your state for collections. You may be getting pushed to pay something you are no longer liable for.

Try not to max out a credit card; instead, spread purchases among two cards. Having to pay interest on two different cards will be a lot lower than paying a maxed out one. Keeping lower balances on two cards, rather than maxing out one card, protects your credit scores and can even improve your credit history if you keep both cards paid on time.

Even in a world of online bank accounts, you should still be balancing your checkbook. It is so easy for things to get lost, or to not really know how much you have spent in any one month. Use your online checking information as a tool to sit down once a month and add up all your debits and credits the old fashioned way. You can catch errors and mistakes that are in your favor, as well as protect yourself from fraudulent charges and identity theft.

Before purchasing a car, build up a strong down payment amount. Save money everywhere you can for a while in order to be able to put a significant amount of money down when you purchase. Having a large down payment will help with your monthly payments and it may make it easier to get better interest rates even with bad credit.

Keep in mind that a college graduate will earn more throughout their lifetime on average than a high school graduate. Invest in your education so that you can invest in your future earnings potentials. If you are already in the workforce consider attending an online school to obtain your degree.

If your bank is charging you fees for checking or if you do not have a particular minimum account balance, then change banks. There are a million and one banks out there that are want your business and will earn it by not charging you fees to hold your money.

If you can, set up an automated payment for your credit card. This is a great way to be sure that you do not forget to pay a bill.

Check your credit at least yearly. The government provides free credit reports for its citizens every year. You can also get a free credit report if you are declined credit. Keeping track of your credit will allow you to see if there are incorrect debts or if someone has stolen your identity.

Make sure you pay your utility bills and house payments on time, every month. These are top priority payments to make and you will avoid late fees by making a payment by the due date. Utility companies are also known to report late payments to credit reporting agencies, which can affect your credit.

Ensure you have a spending account that is flexible. This money is transferred to an account before taxes are taken out.

Personal finance also includes estate planning. This includes, but is not limited to, drawing up a will, assigning a power of attorney (both financial and medical) and setting up a trust. Power of attorneys give someone the right to make decisions for you in the event that you can not make them for yourself. This should only be given to someone whom you trust to make decisions in your best interest.

Although finances will always be a fact of life, you shouldn't be so stressed out after reading this article. Now that you know what to do, take the first step and put the tips you just read into practice. The more you practice your financial management skills, the more likely you are to improve your finances and begin enjoying your money.

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